Sweet Potato Cake – image by Manos Chatzikonstantis
This is another beautiful recipe shared with us by Tessa Kiros in her Foodie Profile Q&A with us here. It features in her most recent cookbook release, Provence to Pondicherry. Have you made Tessa’s Gâteaux de Patate Douce (Sweet Potato Cake) recipe? Tell us about it in the comments.
GÂTEAU DE PATATE DOUCE (SWEET POTATO CAKE) by Tessa Kiros
Serves 8 – 10
1 vanilla pod split lengthways
750g white sweet potatoes, unpeeled
120g (1/2 cup) butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
120g (1/2) cup light brown cane sugar
3 eggs
2 tbsp rum
60g (1/2) cup plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
2 pinches of salt
Using the tip of a pointed teaspoon, scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into a large bowl.
Put the sweet potatoes in a pan with plenty of water to cover, throw in the scraped out vanilla pod and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes, until tender when poked with a skewer. Drain in a colander. Peel when cool enough to handle.
Either cut the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces and mash thoroughly in the bowl with the vanilla, or pass through a potato mill into the bowl. Add the butter and stir through until fully melted. Put the bowl in the fridge and leave uncovered until completely cold.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter and flour a 22cm (9in) pie dish.
Add the vanilla extract and sugar to the sweet potato and stir to mix. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until creamy, then remove 2 tablespoons to a cup and keep. Add the rest of the egg with the rum to the sweet potato mixture, and whisk in well. Whisk in the flour and salt, then spoon into the prepared dish, levelling the surface.
Gently brush or dab the surface all over with the reserved beaten egg. Make criss-cross ridges with the tines of a fork on top. Bake for about 1 hour, until set and the surface is golden and glossy. If necessary, cover the top with a piece of foil towards the end so it doesn’t get too dark before it is set, and take care that it doesn’t get too dry and ruin the lovely texture.
Website: www.tessakiros.com
Instagram: @tessakiros
Pinterest: pinterest.com/tessakiros
